A Fake Smile
by Sugarplumjellygum
Summary: "Yeah, that's exactly how you kiss someone you're not in love with!" he snapped before stalking off down the alley and into the dark.
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter

**A Fake Smile**

"I believe congratulations are in order?" Said a quiet voice behind Ginny.

She didn't need to turn to know who had just spoken; it could only be one person.

"Yes. They are." She huffed irritably and continued walking.

It was late and dark as Ginny made her way down the alley behind The Three Broomsticks. She had just been out with her team mates, celebrating the end of the season and her impending nuptials.

"Why are you doing this Ginny?" Harry asked as he fell into step with her, keeping up with her speedy pace.

"Because I love him and he loves me. Isn't that what you do when you love someone, get married?" she snapped.

"We were in love yet we didn't get married." He said a little bitterly.

"That was different." She replied angrily.

It had been ages since they'd seen each other and they both still felt betrayal and resentment towards each other among other things.

"How so?" Harry questioned, not afraid of her temper or any snarky or furious comment she might throw at him.

Instead she replied with a simple, "Don't do this Harry."

"Do what?" he asked innocently.

"Just go away, ok?" she hissed and picked up her pace.

But of course, Harry did nothing of the sort. Picking up his pace too so he could once again match her speed he spoke again, "If you're so in love with him then why aren't you wearing your ring?"

"I don't wear jewellery during practice." Ginny answered automatically.

"Practice finishes at 6, it's 11."

"Look, it's none of your business what I do in my life; it hasn't been for a long time." She yelled, now coming to a stop and turning to look at him.

They stared for a long time, taking each other's appearance in. Even in the dull moonlight Ginny could see Harry had started to age a little, stress lines on his forehead and from the bags under his eyes he clearly hadn't slept properly in a while.

To Harry Ginny was just as beautiful and sexy as he remembered, her hair was in a messy ponytail, just like he remembered from the night they broke up. She was exhausted and looked like she too hadn't been sleeping well. He wondered if the anguish from her engagement was keeping her up at night, it was certainly doing that to him.

Finally Harry spoke, "I'm not making it my business I'm just making conversation."

"Really and you couldn't find anything else to talk about?" she snapped again.

This time Harry didn't answer, he was too hurt to think of a snappy comment, he couldn't believe the woman he loved was getting married to someone else.

"You know what?" Ginny went on, "You're not making conversation, and you're antagonising me because you're still in love with me!"

"And you're not?" Harry asked quietly.

"No, I'm not!" she replied with slight hesitation.

"Then why were you faking that smile in the paper with your engagement announcement?"

"Just stop, ok!" she spat.

The words had barely left her mouth when Harry grabbed her and kissed her for all he was worth, squeezing her tightly and pushing her up against the wall when she started kissing him back. Neither of them knew how long they kissed for, it felt right, exactly how kisses were meant to be, their bodies were burning with passion, but all too soon Harry pulled away.

"Yeah, that's exactly how you kiss someone you're not in love with!" he snapped before stalking off down the alley and into the dark.

As she watched him go she shivered, not because it was cold, it was actually a warm night, but from what Harry had just said, it felt like her engagement was a lie, she was still so in love with Harry but was too proud to admit that to him or anyone else, maybe even herself.

End


	2. Chapter 2

**A Fake Smile**

Chapter two: A Weeping Eye.

Ginny slammed her apartment door, completely disregarding that Hannah was probably asleep already. She was shaking from anger, regret and sorrow. Everything was going great with Travis and then Harry had to pop up and mess everything up! He was toying with her emotions. She felt so fragile and like a bit of a basket case.

She threw her bag and it hit a table, knocking the lamb off which smashed. She slid down the wall and just started sobbing.

Hannah was yanked out of her dream at the sound of a door slamming and mere seconds later a crash. At first she thought it was all part of her dream, she had been dreaming of the battle at Hogwarts again. Slowly she got out of her bed and grabbed her wand off her bedside table. Could there be burglars? But surely they wouldn't make so much noise...

"Lumos." She whispered as she opened her door; the house was still dark. With the help of her wand she looked around the apartment. She finally crept towards the front door, terrified of what she might find. As she got closer down the hallway she heard the sound of crying, no, more like sobbing. She immediately put the hallway light on and saw Ginny crouched on the floor, her head buried in her hands.  
She rushed to Ginny's side and wrapped an arm around her. She didn't try and talk to her just yet but let her cry until she hiccupped to a stop. Hannah hurriedly summoned a box of tissues and past them to Ginny.

"What happened?" Hannah asked after Ginny had stopped blowing her nose and wiping her eyes.

"Harry." Ginny replied.

Hannah waited for more of an explanation but nothing else came. "What about Harry?"

"Agh! I'm so mad at him and confused!" Ginny spat, "He kissed me and I kissed him back and it made me all confused and then he was talking about faking my love for Travis and all this other stuff about the past!"

"A – oh..." was all Hanna could come up with as she swallowed Ginny's words.

"And now I'm all confused because I love Travis and I do love Harry still and I just think, 'What am I doing with Travis if I still love Harry?' I mean, is it possible to love two people but be with just one forever? Like, I have to choose and I have but I don't know if I've chosen the right person. I have so much history with Harry, he's such a big chunk of my past and Travis is my present and future, I made sure of that when I said yes to his proposal, but what if I made the wrong choice?" Ginny continued as if Hannah had said nothing. "But what if I can love them both and not be with either of them? Am I making the right choice being with Travis and trying to forget Harry? I can't seem to forget him! He plagues me dreams. I think about him a lot. This is crazy; I love Travis and am with him."

Ginny then turned to Hannah, waiting for an answer, as if she knew how to solve Ginny's dilemma.  
"Ph...Umm," Hannah hurried to reply, making things up on the spot, "Well, it's like you said. Harry is a part of your past and you have kept it that way for a long time. Travis is a part of your present and future and you're happy and in love with him so I don't see the need for that to change just because of one silly kiss. You'll always love Harry in a way; he was you're first love. There's always going to be a soft spot in your heart for him"

After a few minutes of thought Ginny mumbled out a question that Hannah wasn't prepared to answer, "Did I make the right choice leaving Harry just because we had a fight?"

"Well..." muttered Hannah, "I think you should go to bed and think about all of this with a clear mind in the morning!"

"What?" said Ginny, thoroughly confused with Hannah now.

"Don't make crucial decisions when you're upset. It's not wise."

"Oh...okay." said Ginny as Hannah pulled her to her feet and pushed her towards her room.

"Night." Said Hannah as she waved her wand at the broken lamp and table, restoring them to their working form.

"Night." Ginny replied.

"Why did Hermione have to stay at Ron, Neville and Harrys' place tonight? Or Luna being in the Ukraine? They always know what to say!" mumbled Hannah to herself as Ginny closed her door.

As Harry lay in his bed that night and thought about kissing Ginny in the alleyway. His mind travelled to the night they broke up...

"Ok, I can't do this anymore. If we have one more fight I'm going to pull my hair out." Yelled Ginny as she stormed into Harry and Her apartment.

"I know. What do you suggest we do?" Harry asked calmly.

It seemed like all they did was fight these days, worse than Ron and Hermione sometimes. And it wasn't just big fights it was trivial fight, stupid things like where to go for dinner!

"I don't know. Maybe take a bit of a break?" said Ginny after a long deep calming breath.

"Ok, I'll make coffee and we can just sit for a bit." Said Harry as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Agh! That's not what I mean, Harry!" Ginny started yelling again.

"Then what do you mean, Ginny?" Harry asked, matching her volume.

"A break from this relationship." She replied.

Harry stood there, shocked into silence, "A...a break up?"

"Not exactly, just take some time to re-evaluate and figure out what we want and how we're gonna work this all out."

So, a break up?

"More like a separation."

"Only married people separate and we're not married."

"Are you trying to break up?" Ginny snapped.

"No, you're the one breaking us up." Harry snapped back.

"Ok, I'm gonna go, I'll see you in a few days." Ginny huffed, "We'll figure out what we want in the mean time?" She said as she walked towards the door.

"Fine!" Harry yelled, throwing the door closed behind her.

Once the door had slammed behind her loneliness set in and never before had Harry felt so lonely, not even when he was living with the Dursley's.  
The loneliness didn't stop there. As the days went by and Ginny's apparent return seemed nonexistent Harry started to descend into a dark, dark hole. Weeks went by and then months and Ginny never came back. She had started living permanently with Hermione, Hannah and Luna. Harry had come home to find a semi empty apartment and a note telling Harry where she had gone.

She ignored every owl, floo request, every time he showed up at her apartment she refused to open the door, she ignored him when he went to the burrow and Harry, without fail, would sit next to her in the hopes that she'd talk to him.

Harry needed a Distraction, something that would help him forget his pain. He had been busy at work, he always was but it was just paperwork at the moment. But his mind still wondered to that fateful night.  
One such distraction arrived two months after the break up.  
One late night in the office Harry was called up for a 6 week assignment in Swaziland. An opportunity to train a group of Auror students. He agreed to the assignment immediately and left the next day.

Harry turned over and punched his pillow into a more comfortable position and waiting for sleep to come...

A/N. This story is being dedicated to **Goonergirl!**


	3. Chapter 3

**A Fake Smile**

Chapter two: A Weeping Eye.

Ginny slammed her apartment door, completely disregarding that Hannah was probably asleep already. She was shaking from anger, regret and sorrow. Everything was going great with Travis and then Harry had to pop up and mess everything up! He was toying with her emotions. She felt so fragile and like a bit of a basket case.

She threw her bag and it hit a table, knocking the lamb off which smashed. She slid down the wall and just started sobbing.

Hannah was yanked out of her dream at the sound of a door slamming and mere seconds later a crash. At first she thought it was all part of her dream, she had been dreaming of the battle at Hogwarts again. Slowly she got out of her bed and grabbed her wand off her bedside table. Could there be burglars? But surely they wouldn't make so much noise...

"Lumos." She whispered as she opened her door; the house was still dark. With the help of her wand she looked around the apartment. She finally crept towards the front door, terrified of what she might find. As she got closer down the hallway she heard the sound of crying, no, more like sobbing. She immediately put the hallway light on and saw Ginny crouched on the floor, her head buried in her hands.  
She rushed to Ginny's side and wrapped an arm around her. She didn't try and talk to her just yet but let her cry until she hiccupped to a stop. Hannah hurriedly summoned a box of tissues and past them to Ginny.

"What happened?" Hannah asked after Ginny had stopped blowing her nose and wiping her eyes.

"Harry." Ginny replied.

Hannah waited for more of an explanation but nothing else came. "What about Harry?"

"Agh! I'm so mad at him and confused!" Ginny spat, "He kissed me and I kissed him back and it made me all confused and then he was talking about faking my love for Travis and all this other stuff about the past!"

"A – oh..." was all Hanna could come up with as she swallowed Ginny's words.

"And now I'm all confused because I love Travis and I do love Harry still and I just think, 'What am I doing with Travis if I still love Harry?' I mean, is it possible to love two people but be with just one forever? Like, I have to choose and I have but I don't know if I've chosen the right person. I have so much history with Harry, he's such a big chunk of my past and Travis is my present and future, I made sure of that when I said yes to his proposal, but what if I made the wrong choice?" Ginny continued as if Hannah had said nothing. "But what if I can love them both and not be with either of them? Am I making the right choice being with Travis and trying to forget Harry? I can't seem to forget him! He plagues me dreams. I think about him a lot. This is crazy; I love Travis and am with him."

Ginny then turned to Hannah, waiting for an answer, as if she knew how to solve Ginny's dilemma.  
"Ph...Umm," Hannah hurried to reply, making things up on the spot, "Well, it's like you said. Harry is a part of your past and you have kept it that way for a long time. Travis is a part of your present and future and you're happy and in love with him so I don't see the need for that to change just because of one silly kiss. You'll always love Harry in a way; he was you're first love. There's always going to be a soft spot in your heart for him"

After a few minutes of thought Ginny mumbled out a question that Hannah wasn't prepared to answer, "Did I make the right choice leaving Harry just because we had a fight?"

"Well..." muttered Hannah, "I think you should go to bed and think about all of this with a clear mind in the morning!"

"What?" said Ginny, thoroughly confused with Hannah now.

"Don't make crucial decisions when you're upset. It's not wise."

"Oh...okay." said Ginny as Hannah pulled her to her feet and pushed her towards her room.

"Night." Said Hannah as she waved her wand at the broken lamp and table, restoring them to their working form.

"Night." Ginny replied.

"Why did Hermione have to stay at Ron, Neville and Harrys' place tonight? Or Luna being in the Ukraine? They always know what to say!" mumbled Hannah to herself as Ginny closed her door.

As Harry lay in his bed that night and thought about kissing Ginny in the alleyway. His mind travelled to the night they broke up...

"Ok, I can't do this anymore. If we have one more fight I'm going to pull my hair out." Yelled Ginny as she stormed into Harry and Her apartment.

"I know. What do you suggest we do?" Harry asked calmly.

It seemed like all they did was fight these days, worse than Ron and Hermione sometimes. And it wasn't just big fights it was trivial fight, stupid things like where to go for dinner!

"I don't know. Maybe take a bit of a break?" said Ginny after a long deep calming breath.

"Ok, I'll make coffee and we can just sit for a bit." Said Harry as he walked towards the kitchen.

"Agh! That's not what I mean, Harry!" Ginny started yelling again.

"Then what do you mean, Ginny?" Harry asked, matching her volume.

"A break from this relationship." She replied.

Harry stood there, shocked into silence, "A...a break up?"

"Not exactly, just take some time to re-evaluate and figure out what we want and how we're gonna work this all out."

So, a break up?

"More like a separation."

"Only married people separate and we're not married."

"Are you trying to break up?" Ginny snapped.

"No, you're the one breaking us up." Harry snapped back.

"Ok, I'm gonna go, I'll see you in a few days." Ginny huffed, "We'll figure out what we want in the mean time?" She said as she walked towards the door.

"Fine!" Harry yelled, throwing the door closed behind her.

Once the door had slammed behind her loneliness set in and never before had Harry felt so lonely, not even when he was living with the Dursley's.  
The loneliness didn't stop there. As the days went by and Ginny's apparent return seemed nonexistent Harry started to descend into a dark, dark hole. Weeks went by and then months and Ginny never came back. She had started living permanently with Hermione, Hannah and Luna. Harry had come home to find a semi empty apartment and a note telling Harry where she had gone.

She ignored every owl, floo request, every time he showed up at her apartment she refused to open the door, she ignored him when he went to the burrow and Harry, without fail, would sit next to her in the hopes that she'd talk to him.

Harry needed a Distraction, something that would help him forget his pain. He had been busy at work, he always was but it was just paperwork at the moment. But his mind still wondered to that fateful night.  
One such distraction arrived two months after the break up.  
One late night in the office Harry was called up for a 6 week assignment in Swaziland. An opportunity to train a group of Auror students. He agreed to the assignment immediately and left the next day.

Harry turned over and punched his pillow into a more comfortable position and waiting for sleep to come...

A/N. This story is being dedicated to **Goonergirl!**


End file.
